WEBVTT 1.2 BILLIONDOLLARS, WHICH ELIMINATED 10PUBLIC HEALTH PROGRAMS, MANY OFWHICH HEALTH -- HELPED CHILDREN.>> YOU CAN DO FANCY TRICKS.>> I'M GOING ON SWIM LESSONSTOMORROW.>> HIS MOTHER'S WORRIED HOW HISLITTLE BOY WITH AUTISM WILL BEAFFECTED BY MAJOR BUDGET CUTS.>> IT WAS SUPER OVERWHELMING TOHAVE A KID DIAGNOSED.REPORTER: UP UNTIL NOW, A385,000 DOLLAR STATE-FUNDEDAUTISM ASSISTANCE PROGRAMPROVIDED A FAMILY NAVIGATOR FORTHOSE IN NEED, BUT IT WASSLASHED JULY FIRST>> TO HELP US, TO HELPFINANCIALLY, WITH INSURANCMEDICAID; ALL THOSE THINGS CANBE TRICKY TO LEARN ABOUT.REPORTER: CUTS WILL ALSO CURTAILEYE EXAMS FOR KIDS.PREVENT BLINDNESS IOWA LOSTNEARLY $100,000 WHICH HELPEDSCREEN 45,000 CHILDREN A YEAR.>> IF THEY ARE HAVING READINPROBLEMS, THEIR EDUCATION ISTIED INTO GOOD VISION.>> I WAS VERY SURPRISED, CAUGHTOFF GUARD.REPORTER: AND THE EPILEPSYFOUNDATION WAS UNPREPARED TOLOSE 60% OF ITS BUDGET THATHELPED 30,000 IOWANS WHO HAVESEIZURES.>> WHEN SOMEONE IS NEWLYDIAGNOSED THEY GET SCARED, ANDMOST PEOPLE DON'T KNOW HOW TORECOGNIZE AND RESPOND TO ASEIZURE.REPORTER: 27 PUBLIC HEALTHPROGRAMS ARE NOW SCRAMBLING TOFIND WAYS TO CARRY ON.>> WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO LOOKAT PROGRAMS AND SAY HOW CAN WEMAKE THEM MORE EFFECTIVE AND USE

State budget cuts are starting to hit home for families across Iowa in need of specialized health services.

The state Health Department had to cut $1.2 million from its budget, eliminating 10 public health programs.

Kate Walton said she is worried her 6-year-old, who is autistic, will be affected by major state budget cuts.

“It’s super overwhelming to have a kid who is newly diagnosed,” Walton said.

Up until now, a $385,000 state-funded Autism Assistance Program provided a family navigator for those in need. That program was cut July 1.

"To help us and to help financially, help with insurance, help with Medicaid; all those things that can be tricky to learn about,” Walton said.

The budget cuts will also curtail eye exams for kids. Prevent Blindness Iowa lost nearly $100,000, which helped screen 45,000 children a year.

“If they are having reading problems and we want to read at grade level by third grade, a vision problem may be preventing that,” said Jeanne Burmeister, with Prevent Blindness Iowa. “So education is really tied into good vision.”

The Iowa Epilepsy Foundation said it was unprepared to lose 60 percent of its budget that helped 30,000 Iowans who have seizures.

"When someone is newly diagnosed with epilepsy, they get scared,” said Roxanne Cogil, of Iowa Epilepsy Foundation. “They get scared when they see a seizure, and they don’t know how to properly recognize and respond to a seizure.”

In total, 27 health programs are not struggling to find ways to carry on following the budget cuts.

"We're going to have to look at our programs and say, ‘How can we change and make it more effective and use our money wisely?’" Burmeister said.

Governor Kim Reynolds said Monday that she has full confidence in the directors of agencies to provide more efficient services while balancing the state budget.